Goffs November Begins Today

GOFFS NOVEMBER BEGINS TODAY 
By Kelsey Riley 
The mixed sales scene today shifts across the Atlantic to Ireland, where Goffs kicks off its six-day November Sale with its first of four days of foal sales at the Kill Paddocks in County Kildare. The two-day Breeding Stock Sale will bring proceedings to a close Nov. 21 and 22. 

Last year’s foal sale wrapped up with solid statistics, which included a slightly increased (1.5%) average of €26,264 and a median of €17,000, which was up 13% on 2013 figures. The strength of trade was highlighted by the buyback rate, which dropped 9% to 16%. The sale is designed as a rising crescendo, with prices expected to increase each day, and Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby noted yesterday the Kill Paddocks were bustling, especially with pinhookers eager to uncover the value buys amongst the day one offerings. 

“The sales grounds are very busy today–I’ve never seen the sales grounds as busy the day before a foal sale,” Beeby said. “There are lots and lots of pinhookers looking at the moment, and we’re expecting another influx tomorrow. It’ll increase as the sales goes on. Things are very active today; more active than we normally see.” 
While the action will no doubt reach a monumental peak Thursday when the much-publicized six first-crop Frankel (GB) foals are offered (click here for a Nov. 12 feature), as well as a pair by his peerless sire Galileo (Ire) and offerings by the likes of Sea the Stars (Ire), Invincible Spirit (Ire), Shamardal and Teofilo (Ire), Beeby pointed out that there is much strength in depth amongst the sires on offer, with a particularly exciting group of first-season sires represented, which also includes Excelebration (Ire), Nathaniel (Ire), Sepoy (Aus) and So You Think (NZ). 

“While much of the attention has been on the Frankel foals, there are significant numbers of really cracking looking foals by other first-season sires turning up, and it looks a very solid catalogue,” Beeby said. 

Last year’s Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale created unprecedented waves thanks largely to the Paulyn Dispersal, which included 24-head worth €12,734,000–headed by the €6 million Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire})–and contributed to an average that was up a whopping 166% (€73,982) and a median that swelled by 36% (€15,000). It is important to note, however, that with the Paulyn Dispersal aside, the breeding stock sale last year posted an average of €40,159 (up 44%) and a median of €14,500 (up 32%), highlighting the strength across the catalogue. Like last year’s foal sale, the breeding stock sale also experienced a dramatic drop in buybacks–last year’s figure was 15%, whereas in 2013 it was 39%. 

While acknowledging that those highs wouldn’t be hit this year, Beeby noted that the strength of the market for Thoroughbreds both at Goffs and around the world in the past year is a reason for optimism that trade will be strong. 
“There’s no question we won’t get the high spots we did last year, because there only a few Chicquitas in the world and they only come around once in a while,” he said. “But by the same token [the catalogue] measures up to any previous years we’ve had. We’re quietly hopeful we’ll have a strong market for that as well.” 

The European breeding stock sector provided more than its share of fireworks 12 months ago, with the sales of the record-breaking Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (4.7 million guineas) and Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) (4 million guineas) at Tattersalls December immediately following Goffs’ history-defining sale, and Beeby noted that caliber of horse seems to be largely absent from the scene this year. 

“There is probably less top-quality breeding stock on offer in Europe at the moment than there has been in years gone by, but we certainly have a good share of what’s out there,” he said. “We’d expect another international buying bench backed up by a strong representation from India and Turkey, which comes to our sale every year, and some Southern Hemisphere people coming again. I would be hopeful it will be a good finish to the sale.” 

One returning alumni from last year’s sale is the 8-year-old mare Song (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who was a €1 million purchase by Friarstown Stud from the Paulyn Dispersal. The Frankel filly Song was carrying at the time will be offered Thursday, while Song will go through the ring Friday as lot 1184 in foal to Dubawi (Ire). Song is a full-sister to Classic winner Yesterday (Ire) and champion Quarter Moon (Ire). 

As highlighted in the TDN of Nov. 14 (click here), Jim Bolger’s Redmondstown Stud will offer 10 mares, including dual Group 3 winner Maoineach (Congaree), carrying to the first crop of Dawn Approach (Ire) (lot 1141) and Wake Me Up (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), a half-sister to Dawn Approach in foal to that Classic winner and champion’s sire New Approach (Ire) (lot 1139). The ever-popular draft of the Aga Khan will this year feature the 5-year-old stakes-winning mare Dalkova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 1151). Dalkova hails from the family of Group 1 winners Daliapour (Ire), Darshaan (GB), Dar Re Mi (GB), Rewilding (GB), Diaghilev (Ire) and Darazari (Ire). 

“It was always going to be a very difficult job to follow up what we had last year, because that was, by comment consent, once in a generation,” Beeby noted. “But I think what the Goffs November Sale produces is a good, strong two days of Irish breeding stock. There are a few gems in there, so I think it’s a catalogue that should appeal to a wide audience.” 

The Goffs November Foal Sale begins each day at 11 a.m. local time. For the catalogue, results and live streaming, visit www.goffs.com.